Homocidal Tendency: A Queer True Crime Podcast

25. The Bag Murders

In Episode 25, Matt takes you back to the gritty, neon-lit streets of 1970s New York City to investigate one of the most chilling and frustrating unsolved mysteries in true crime history: The Bag Murders. Between 1975 and 1977, the dark waters of the Hudson River surrendered a terrifying secret. Six unidentified victims were discovered along the Greenwich Village waterfront. But how does a serial killer dismantle six victims in the heart of Manhattan without leaving a trace? And why did the authorities completely look the other way? Today, we are stripping away the Hollywood urban legends to examine the cold, historical facts, the dangerous geography of the underground club scene, and the institutional apathy that allowed a monster to hunt in the shadows. Episode Highlights: * The Geography of Risk: Exploring the underground nightlife of 1970s Greenwich Village and the dangerous isolation of the abandoned Hudson River piers. * Institutional Apathy: How the NYPD's hostility toward the LGBTQ+ community created a massive blind spot that serial killers exploited. * The M.O. and The Clues: Breaking down the terrifying forensic profile of the killer and the custom leather clothing that served as the investigation's only lead. * Theories and Suspects: Was it an organized Mafia hit? A hunting ground for multiple predators? Or the early, undiscovered work of the infamous "Last Call Killer," Richard Rogers? * The Paul Bateson Connection: Unpacking the arrest of the X-ray technician, the unverified jailhouse confession, and the Hollywood trivia connecting the case to The Exorcist and Cruising. Housekeeping & Announcements: This episode marks the Homocidal Tendency midseason finale! The show will be taking a short 1-2 week break to recharge and research for the second half of the season. Keep an eye on your feed, because a special bonus mini-episode will drop during the hiatus. If you are a new listener, there are 24 other binge-worthy episodes of the season waiting for you right now! Support the Show: * Rate & Review: Please take a second to rate, review, and subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen. It is the best way to help other true crime fans find the show! * Visual Aids: Follow us on social media to see all the archival photography for this case, including the rotting piers, the Village clubs, and Arthur Bell's original Village Voice reporting. https://linktr.ee/HomocidalTendency [https://linktr.ee/HomocidalTendency] Stay safe, keep your doors locked, and thank you for riding out the first half of the season. From Matt, Benson, and Toulouse thanks for listening! Send us Fan Mail [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2593502/fan_mail/new]

24. The Monster of Montmartre | Thierry Paulin

Behind the blinding neon lights, free-flowing champagne, and pulsing techno of the 1980s Paris underground, a predator was using high fashion as camouflage to hunt in plain sight.  This week on Homocidal Tendency, we step off the dance floor of Le Palace and into the quiet, winding stone stairwells of the 18th arrondissement to track one of the most anomalous and terrifying true crime cases in modern French history. We break down the lethal folie à deux of Thierry Paulin and Jean-Thierry Mathurin a toxic partnership fueled by extreme narcissism, heavy cocaine addiction, and an insatiable lust for social status. We explore how they weaponized Parisian architecture, bypassed criminal profiling, and ultimately funded their glamorous nightlife by brutally terrorizing the city's most vulnerable demographic: elderly women living alone. This isn't a story of a brilliant mastermind. It's the story of a shallow illusion, a devastating police blindspot, and a final, infuriating cheat of the justice system. In This Episode We Cover: * The socio-economic clash of 1980s Paris and the underground club scene. * The psychological anatomy of Paulin and Mathurin's predator/prey partnership. * The "Urban Architecture Trap" and how the killers bypassed the Digicode systems. * The massive investigation failures and the miraculous survivor who cracked the case. * The chillingly anti-climactic arrest and Paulin's final escape from justice. In Memoriam: Honoring the Victims True crime too often remembers the names of the monsters while forgetting the people they took from us. Thierry Paulin viewed these women as nothing more than walking vaults to fund his luxury lifestyle, but they were mothers, grandmothers, and lifelong Parisians whose lives mattered. We honor the known, documented victims of the 1984–1987 Montmartre attacks: * Germaine Petitot (91) – Survived * Anna Barbier-Ponthus (83) * Suzanne Foucault (89) * Ioana Sechero (71) * Alice Cadot (84) * Marie Chiffard (86) * Jeanne Vautrin (83) * Jeanne Estournel (82) * Paule Vuillemin (79) * Estella Foucher (89) * Rachel Cohen (79) * Berthe Finalteri (87) – Survived * Geneviève Pinard (90) And to the women whose names remain sealed in the French courts or whose cases were never officially closed: you are not forgotten. A Quick Apology from Matt 🇫🇷 Bonjour, je m'appelle Matt et je suis désolé. To all of my beautiful French and Francophone listeners.  Please accept apologies for my tragic, heavily Americanized pronunciation of your historic streets, designers, and legendary nightclubs. I promise I practiced, but my tongue got in the way. Connect with Homocidal Tendency If this case got under your skin, head over to our social media! We are posting the composite sketches, photos of Paulin from his club days, and the stark visual contrast of the 80s Parisian architecture we discussed today. * Instagram: [@HomocidalTendency] * Bluesky: [@HomocidalTendency] https://linktr.ee/HomocidalTendency [https://linktr.ee/HomocidalTendency] Love the show? Don't forget to hit subscribe, leave a 5-star rating, and share this episode with your fellow true crime addicts! Want more right now? All 23 previous episodes are fully binge-worthy and waiting in your feed. Stay safe out there, and keep an eye on who's standing on your doorstep. Send us Fan Mail [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2593502/fan_mail/new]

23. The Sadist of Romont | Michel Peiry

This week, Matt takes you on a chilling journey into the pristine, frozen passes of 1980s Switzerland a place synonymous with safe neutrality, immense wealth, and postcard-perfect landscapes.  But beneath the snow, a predator is hunting. In this episode, we deep dive into the case of Michel Peiry, the charismatic, well-dressed soldier known as "The Sadist of Romont," who weaponized Swiss society's trust and indifference to target an entire generation of marginalized young men. We explore the complex psychology of a killer, the incredible survival story of a 16-year-old victim, and the systemic failure that allowed Peiry to claim up to eleven victims across multiple European borders. This is true crime through a cold, atmospheric, and distinctly different lens. In This Episode: ** Cold Open** Matt sets the 1980s horror scene, high in the Swiss Alps, contrasting the picturesque landscape with the terrifying reality of a hitchhiker stepping into a killer’s trap. ** Introduction & Housekeeping** Welcome back to Homocidal Tendency. Matt gives some quick updates and a shout-out to all the new listeners binging the backlog. ** The Thumb and the Void: Hitchhiking in 1980s Europe** A deep cultural search into the accepted (and now lost) culture of Swiss "ride-sharing" and the societal trust that created the perfect hunting ground. ** Postcards from the Void: The Geography of a Killer** A look at how Switzerland’s dramatic mountain passes and isolated rural regions provided both physical camouflage and logistical protection for Peiry’s crimes. ** Shadows in the Snow: The Queer Reality of 1980s Switzerland** Matt breaks down the legal and social climate of 1980s Switzerland, exploring the discriminatory age of consent laws and the impact of the AIDS crisis on the isolated, underground LGBTQ+ community. ** The Mask of Normality: Michel Peiry’s Origins** A deep search into Peiry’s early years, analyzing the complex collision of an abusive home life, intense social repression, and a twisted sexual awakening that created a calculating monster. ** The Anatomy of Control: The M.O.** Matt goes into detailed analysis of Peiry’s method, from the initial "lure" and manipulative connection to the horrific transition of control and the specific, sadistic rituals he used to torture and murder his victims. ** The Ghosts of Europe: The Victims and the Missing Men** Honoring the confirmed and suspected victims: * Sylvestre (United States, 1981) - Missing * Frédéric (France, 1984) - Victim * Fabio (Switzerland, 1986) - Victim * Cédric (Switzerland, 1986) - Victim * Silvio (Yugoslavia, 1986) - Confessed/Missing * Vincent (Switzerland, 1987) - Victim * Yves Ath (Switzerland, 1986) - Survivor We also explore the potential links to the famous, unsolved "Mourmelon disappearances" in France. ** The Silence of the Sirens: Systemic Indifference** Matt breaks down the concept of the "less dead" and details how police homophobia, bureaucratic indifference, and societal erasure enabled a serial killer to operate in plain sight for six years. ** The Botched Attack: A Survivor’s Victory** The incredible, minute-by-minute story of 16-year-old Thomas, who was beaten and handcuffed before being thrown into a freezing river by Peiry. We follow his harrowing trek for survival that would ultimately lead to the killer's downfall. ** The Takedown: Hiding in plain sight** A deep dive into the manhunt and the shocking, almost surreal arrest of Michel Peiry—while he was in uniform, performing compulsory service at a Swiss military base in the Canton of Bern. ** The Interrogation and Conviction** The sterile chill of the Interrogation room. We cover Peiry’s cold, detached confessions, the psychological games he played, and the maximum-security prison (Bellechasse in Fribourg) where he is serving his life sentence today. ** Conclusion: The Forgotten Monster** Final thoughts on the case. We analyze why Peiry is not widely known internationally and the tragic lesson he leaves behind: that the greatest terror isn't the monster in the woods, but a society that refuses to look closer at the people who disappear. Connect with Homocidal Tendency: * Instagram: Follow @HomocidalTendency for detailed episode visuals, maps, and archival photos from this case. * BlueSky: We are on @Homocidaltendency for live updates and discussion on our upcoming episodes. * TikTok: Check out @HomocidalTendency for mini-deep dives and atmospheric teasers. * Listen Backlog: All 22 previous episodes, from the Bayou Strangler to current tales, are available for you to binge right now. Send us Fan Mail [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2593502/fan_mail/new]

22. South Africa's Cross-Dressing Killers

The monsters aren't always hiding in the shadows... sometimes they are standing right next to you under the neon lights. In the mid-1990s, the underground clubs of Hillbrow, Johannesburg, served as a rare sanctuary for the LGBTQ+ community.  But for Samuel Jacques Coetzee and John Frank Brown, that vibrant sanctuary was a hunting ground. This week on Homocidal Tendency, Matt breaks down a deeply unsettling case of folie à deux a shared psychosis fueled by jealousy, control, and a thirst for blood.  We explore how Coetzee used his glamorous drag persona as the ultimate predatory camouflage, exploiting the very community that offered him a safe space.  From the terrifying "Ghost Period" where the killers hid in plain sight, to the frustrating legal loophole that denied families total justice, this episode explores the devastating vulnerability that comes with marginalization. The scariest call is the one coming from inside the house. A Brief Note on Terminology: Throughout this episode, we refer to the historical moniker attached to this case: "The Cross-Dressing Killers." We recognize that in 2026, this term is outdated and can be offensive. We are using it strictly for historical accuracy and case identification, as it remains the primary way this tragically underreported story is documented in legal and public records. In this episode, we discuss: * The 90s Hillbrow queer underground scene and the importance of safe spaces. * The psychology of folie à deux and toxic, enmeshed relationships. * How a drag persona was weaponized as a "Trojan Horse" to lure victims. * The historical erasure of marginalized victims in police reporting. * The dramatic takedown, a jailhouse confession, and a killer's ultimate cowardly exit. In Memoriam: This episode is dedicated to the victims whose lives were stolen during this tragic spree: Chris Anderson, the unidentified 30-year-old man, the unidentified 15-year-old boy, Avhewngi Robert Bele, and Richter. You are not forgotten. ⚠️ Content Warning: This episode contains detailed discussions of graphic violence, domestic abuse dynamics, homophobia, and suicide. Listener discretion is strongly advised. Support the Show: * Binge the Archive: New to the podcast? Catch up on our first 21 episodes wherever you get your podcasts! * Follow Us: Stay updated on the latest cases and behind-the-scenes content on Instagram and Twitter at @HomocidalTendency. * Rate & Review: If you enjoyed this deep dive, please leave us a 5-star rating and review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify. It helps us bring these stories out of the dark. Send us Fan Mail [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2593502/fan_mail/new]

21. The Literary Grifter | Lee Israel

Need a breather from the blood and guts? After a few incredibly heavy weeks, Homocidal Tendency is taking a detour from our usual grisly crime scenes to dive into a completely different kind of underworld.  This week, we travel back to the gritty, neon-lit streets of early 90s New York City to explore the desperate, brilliant, and entirely analog crimes of Lee Israel. Once a New York Times best-selling biographer, Lee found herself blacklisted, broke, and backed into a corner with a sick cat and no way to pay the bills.  Her solution? A vintage typewriter, stolen archival paper, and one of the most prolific literary cons in modern history.  Grab a drink, lock your doors, and join Matt for a bizarre tale of pure, unapologetic deception. In This Episode We Cover: * A Palate Cleanser: Shifting gears after the heavy darkness of the Hog Trail Murders. * The Making of a Misanthrope: Lee Israel’s early days navigating mid-century New York. * Best Sellers and Bitter Ends: The Estée Lauder disaster and Lee's total fall from grace. * The Mechanics of the Hustle: How a broken TV, tracing paper, and vintage typewriters built a black-market empire. * Hubris and the Tell-Tale Typewriter: The fatal mistake of punching up Noël Coward's private life. * Enter Jack Hock: Archival heists, dive bars, and fencing stolen history. * The Sting & The Aftermath: The FBI closes in, and the ultimate, twisted irony of Can You Ever Forgive Me? Support the Show: https://linktr.ee/HomocidalTendency [https://linktr.ee/HomocidalTendency] * Binge the Backlog: Need more? There are 20 heavy, binge-worthy episodes of Homocidal Tendency available to stream right now! * Rate & Review: If you're surviving the ride so far, please take thirty seconds to subscribe and leave a 5-star rating and review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify. It’s the best way to help other true crime and horror fans find the show. * Join the Community: Follow the podcast on social media for episode cards, behind-the-scenes research, and vintage photos from the cases we cover. About the Host: When Matt isn't deep diving into the dark underbelly of historical true crime, you can usually find him exploring abandoned buildings or behind the lens. Check out his urban exploration and visual work over at Matthew David Photography. Send us Fan Mail [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2593502/fan_mail/new]